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| New 'babes in wood' case rejected | New 'babes in wood' case rejected |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The man cleared of strangling two schoolgirls in Brighton 20 years ago will not face a fresh prosecution. | |
| The bodies of 10-year-old Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway, who was nine, were found in woodland, in a case dubbed the "Babes in the Wood". | The bodies of 10-year-old Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway, who was nine, were found in woodland, in a case dubbed the "Babes in the Wood". |
| Sussex Police believe they do not have enough evidence to prosecute Russell Bishop, who was cleared in 1986. | |
| New so-called double jeopardy laws allow suspects who have been acquitted to be tried for a second time. | New so-called double jeopardy laws allow suspects who have been acquitted to be tried for a second time. |
| After the law was amended, detectives began looking for new evidence to link roofer Russell Bishop to the murders. | After the law was amended, detectives began looking for new evidence to link roofer Russell Bishop to the murders. |
| He is serving a life sentence for kidnapping and attempting to murder another girl from Brighton whom he indecently assaulted. | He is serving a life sentence for kidnapping and attempting to murder another girl from Brighton whom he indecently assaulted. |
| Private prosecution | Private prosecution |
| As part of the review, scientists re-examined a sweatshirt, thought to belong to Bishop, found near the crime scene. | As part of the review, scientists re-examined a sweatshirt, thought to belong to Bishop, found near the crime scene. |
| But BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said he understands that police and the Crown Prosecution Service agreed that the scientific findings did not amount to "genuinely new evidence" - as required under the new laws to mount a fresh prosecution. | But BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said he understands that police and the Crown Prosecution Service agreed that the scientific findings did not amount to "genuinely new evidence" - as required under the new laws to mount a fresh prosecution. |
| Relatives of the girls claim there is other significant new material and are considering bringing a private prosecution instead. | Relatives of the girls claim there is other significant new material and are considering bringing a private prosecution instead. |
| So far only one double jeopardy prosecution has been brought - that of Billy Dunlop, who pleaded guilty to murder earlier this week. | So far only one double jeopardy prosecution has been brought - that of Billy Dunlop, who pleaded guilty to murder earlier this week. |